220 surgeons' eeports — Massachusetts — tenth district. 



slopes gradually down from the mountaius to the valley of the Connecticut, whose river is the cen- 

 tral depression and drain for the surface-waters of the county. From the river, the land gently 

 rises eastward, and finds its greatest elevation beyond tlie limits of the county at (Jharlton, where 

 it is some six hundred feet above tide -water. The Connecticut River, wliich divides the countj' 

 into equal parts, receives but two tributaries worth noticing, the Agarian or Westfield, and tlie 

 Chicopee. These afford a never-failing supply of water for the numerous manufactories which 

 have been established along the streams. Tlie area of Hampden County is about six hunched and 

 fifty square miles, and is divided into twenty towns, exclusive of the city of Springfield. The whole 

 number of inliabitauts, by the census of 1800, was 57,392, giving as the total for the tenth district 

 112,5l.'S inhabitants. 



Tlie soil upon the mountainous portions of the district is unsuited for tillage, but aflbrds 

 excellent pasturage for cattle and sheep of unproved breeds, which are kei)t in large numbers and 

 found highly remunerative. In the valleys, the soil is fertile, and in productiveness is hardly 

 excelled by any portion of our country. Tobacco, maize, and the cereals flourish here in great 

 lierfectiou. 



The prevalent diseases in the district are phthisis, typhoid fever, pneumonia, and rheumatism. 

 I have no data for determining their relative frequency; but the necrological tables show that 24 

 per cent, of deaths is from phthisis, 9 per cent, from typhoid fever, 5 per cent, from pneumonia, 

 and 2 per cent, from rheumatism. At least three-fourths of the area of the district is made up of 

 mountains and hills, often separated from each other by narrow and deep valleys. The climate 

 for two-thirds of the year is cold, damp, and subject to great alternations of temperature. The 

 prevailing winds are from the northwest, east, and southeast. The average yearly temperature 

 is from 44° to 40° Fabrenheit. The average yearly amount of rain is from 38 to 42 inches 



The climate and topograi)hy, which are intimately related, are unusually favorable for the 

 development of these diseases; and the sanitary reforms which might mitigate these evils are 

 adopted by the people but slowly. If to the natural causes, which we cannot control, we add 

 ignorance or willful violation of hygienic rules, there is little hope that their frequency will be 

 lessened. 



Typhoid fever of a dangerous type is oftener met with on the hills and in the narrow valleys 

 than where the country is more open. The miasm is carried by the winds from the lower grounds 

 upon the hill sides, which oi)pose a barrier to its further progress, and it is there condensed (prob- 

 ably) along with the vapor by the cooler air of night, and as mist or fog it finds its way into the 

 valleys. Possibly the amount disseminated through the atmosphere and inhaled may account for 

 the increased severity of the disease in certain localities. 



The general character of the inhabitants is above reproach ; they are industrious, frugal, tem- 

 perate. * * # 



At the date of the enrollment in 18C3, not less than seven thousand persons were already in 

 service from this district, wliich was a very large deduction from our able-bodied population ; and, 

 again, the enrollment was sweeping in its character, every human being wearing male apparel 

 within the prescribed ages was enrolled. If we still add to this the large number of aliens drafted, 

 it will be understood wliy tiie exem[)tions by the board must have been necessarily large. 



The attempt at revision of the enrollment-list between the first and the second drafts was only 

 ])artially successful. The enrolled men who lived at a distance from headquarters, and who had 

 disabilities for which they felt sure they would be exempted if drafted, were, as a general rule, 

 reluctant to incur the expense of travel and the loss of time to have their names stricken from the 

 list. The aliens, however, improved the opportunity to present their claims for exemption from 

 enrollment, which greatly increased the number of physical exempts in the second draft. As the 

 board had no i)ower to compel men to present themselves for examination, their invitation was in 

 a great measure unheeded, and, as a consequence, at the second draft the list was relatively as 

 imperfect as at the first. 



Before the rebellion, there was a strong tide of emigration setting westward from this district, 

 invited by the superior fertility and cheapness of the land, and the thousand avenues opened to 

 eiiter[)rise in young and growing States ; and as the emigrants were mostly able-bodied, and of a 

 military age, they have found their way into the service in such numbers that hardly a regiment 



